This systematic review with a meta-analysis of studies was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of robotic training (RT) and conventional training (CT) in improving the motor recovery of paretic upper limbs in stroke patients. Numerous electronic databases were searched from January 2000 to May 2016. Finally, 13 randomized-controlled trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the three meta-analyses. The first meta-analysis carried out for those studies using RT for stroke patients indicated a significant improvement in the RT groups...

Haemophilus parainfluenzae, which belongs to the HACEK (Haemophilus ssp, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella kingae) group, is a rare cause of subacute endocarditis and may lead to ischemic stroke. A 65-year-old female patient previously diagnosed with rheumatic valve disease was submitted to surgical mitral valve repair in 1996. Physical examination did not reveal any murmurs; physical examination of the lungs and abdomen was normal. The patient was admitted to hospital with progressive dyspnea, dry cough, and fever...

BACKGROUND: Anthracyclines are cardiotoxic; however, there are limited data characterizing the serial changes in cardiac structure and function after anthracyclines. The aim of this study was to use cardiac magnetic resonance to characterize anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a longitudinal cardiac magnetic resonance and histological study of 45 wild-type male mice randomized to doxorubicin (n=30, 5 mg/kg of doxorubicin/week for 5 weeks) or placebo (n=15)...

AIMS OF THE STUDY: To assess the cost-effectiveness of primarily surgical treatment (PST) versus primarily conservative treatment (PCT) in adults with intermediate severity, acute or subacute, lumbar radicular syndrome due to intervertebral disc herniation. METHODS: A decision analytic model from healthcare system and societal perspectives was used to compare outcomes and costs of PST with those of PCT (physiotherapy, epidural injection and medication). Treatment pathways and quality of life were obtained from published clinical trials...

Hospital mortality after the replacement of chronic type B aortic dissection is around 8-10% and adverse outcomes include paraplegia and stroke. However, the level of evidence for indication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B chronic aortic dissection is Class IIa. Results of the INSTEAD-XL trial have verified that preemptive TEVAR for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection improves prognosis. The indication for this procedure is reportedly a maximum aortic diameter >40 mm during the acute phase and a patent primary entry site in the thoracic aorta, while the optimal timing for TEVAR would be the subacute phase, from 2 weeks to 3-6 months after onset...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a critical health problem of which diagnosis, management, and treatment remain challenging. TBI is a contributing factor in approximately one-third of all injury-related deaths in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1.7 million people suffer a TBI in the United States annually. Efforts continue to focus on elucidating the complex molecular mechanisms underlying TBI pathophysiology and defining sensitive and specific biomarkers that can aid in improving patient management and care...

PURPOSE: Cognitive screening upon hospital admission can provide important information about the patient's ability to process information during the inpatient stay. The Clock-in-the-Box (CIB) is a rapidly administered cognitive screening measure which has been previously validated with cognitive screening and neuropsychological assessments. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the predictive validity of the CIB for discharge location among a sample of older medical inpatients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Hospitalized Veterans (N=218), aged 55 years and older, were recruited on the day after admission after they gave their consent...

Amiodarone can cause toxicity in several organs, including amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity which is a subacute or chronic complication. Amiodarone-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in postoperative patients is a rare acute complication. The PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched. Seven retrospective and prospective case series and 10 case reports of amiodarone-induced postoperative ARDS were reviewed. All patients received amiodarone chronically or during the perioperative period...

Although anticoagulation therapy is the primary treatment for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), it has not been associated with the rapid recanalization of the venous occlusion. Moreover, it is associated with long-term disability due to post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). In contrast, pharmacomechanical endovascular intervention (PMI) results in more rapid clinical improvement in DVT patients, but there are few reports on its long-term outcomes. This retrospective study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of PMI compared to conventional anticoagulation therapy (ACA) for acute and subacute iliofemoral DVT...

Acute care is usually associated with disease progression, treatments for cancer, and medical comorbidities. Patients with cancer may develop sudden functional deficits that require rehabilitation. Some of these patients benefit from acute rehabilitation, others benefit from subacute rehabilitation. After acute rehabilitation, continuous care for these patients has not been well described. Three studies are presented to demonstrate that cancer rehabilitation is a continuous process. Rehabilitation professionals should know how to detect fall risk, monitor symptoms, and render symptom management...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence of spinal fractures and their outcomes in the elderly who fall from low-levels in a suburban county. DESIGN: Retrospective county-wide trauma registry review from 2004 to 2013. SETTING: Suburban county with regionalized trauma care consisting of 11 hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Adult trauma patients aged ≥65 years who were admitted after falling from <3 feet. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia caused by shigellosis with or without typical dysentery in immunocompetent patients is an uncommon entity. CASE REPORT: We describe a case of pneumonia in an immunocompetent, previously healthy middle-aged man from Switzerland without relevant travel history which was presumably caused by Shigella sonnei. He was originally admitted for suspected lung cancer. The clinical picture was remarkable as the patient presented with cough and purulent sputum production, but otherwise no classical signs of pneumonia...

Atypical mycobacteria, also known as nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) includes acid-fast bacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis. NTM can be isolated from a variety of environmental sources including water, food products, domestic animals, and soil; human exposure is typically from soil to the oral cavity and respiratory tract. Diagnosis of NTM is suspected in children less than five years old with subacute, unilateral, non-tender cervicofacial lymphadenitis in combination with a history of water exposure, penetrating injection, as well as negative routine cultures or response to antistaphylococcal and antistreptococcal antibiotics...

Cardiac MRI is usually not recommended in the acute phase after pacemaker implantation, particularly for conventional devices. This case concerns a 66-year-old patient who developed significant pericardial effusion subacutely after implantation of a dual-chamber, conventional pacemaker. Cardiac MRI was planned to elucidate the characteristics of the pericardial effusion and was performed under controlled conditions without any consequences. Images analysis was very helpful to reveal the non-hemorrhagic nature of the pericardial effusion and correct endocardial position of the leads...

Wearable cardioverter defibrillators (WCD), initially available in 2002, have recently experienced more routine use in many institutions as a means of preventing sudden cardiac death (SCD) prior to implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) evaluation or implantation. WCD differ from ICD by their noninvasive nature, making them well suited for patient populations who have a chance for significant cardiac recovery (such as after an acute myocardial infarction). Despite their noninvasive nature, WCD treatment of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias is highly successful...